Blood Under The Bridge: Chapter 2- Our Past Lives
AN: Well, here's another one! I already had Chapter 2 out, so I decided to upload it! Again, please tell me what you think :3 This is mostly backstory and contains some language (I think?), so beware! Our Past Lives Chapter Two: Our Past Lives In Which Memories Are Explored, Narration Occurs and Tragedy Comes In All Forms Why on earth did we let you describe how the chapter goes? Because, Calla, you guys answer to my parents! ;) Drat. Don't be upset, Calla! Brooke just likes messing with you! Because she's a witch? HEY! No, because she's... Jealous! That's it, I'm taking a match to this bastard! Oi, no burning Bookley on my watch, you impatient tart! No, guys, stop! ~Maddie enters and turns to the Reader~ Sorry for my friends, they are pretty impatient. I'm kind of a Junior narrator, not a full one like them, so I only get to talk to them sometimes. They're not really part of the story... Lucky them! Anyway, they're fighting behind me. Before they notice, I'm going to tell you something the Author wants you to guess for a prize and a free internet cookie. No one guessed, so I want to tell the answer before the next chapter, when the prize will be awarded. Cherry's father is- Maddie is trying to do a spoiler! STOP HER! Aaaaah! Sorry, guys, gotta go have a TEA PARTY! *giggles in delight before disappearing into her hat* She didn't leave any cake?! What a jerk! :( No one's going to pander to your cake addiction after the Incident... WHY DOES EVERYONE ALWAYS BRING THAT UP?! Let's move on before Bookley blows his top... I'm Calla Lain, nice to meet you! I'm the Evil Narrator. I'm Brooke Page and I'm the Neutral Narrator, though I prefer the title Troublemaker. You mean Spoiler... I'm Bookley! Bookley Legend to be exact! I'm the Good Narrator! I write down all the stories, Calla tells them and Brooke interrupts! It's the best system-''' No, it is NOT. 'But, Calla-' Brooke always ruins the story! I'm so sick of it! 'Calla-' I mean, the story is NOT about her. If she would just pull the wool off of her eyes, she'd see- '''STOP TALKING! :( Tell her who's boss, Bookley! Oh, NOW, we're friends?! I apologize, Bookley... I'm sorry for being a hypocrite. It's ok, just keep being yourself :) I was trying to say this: It's the best system for us, because we're such a great team! Aww... On that note, let's begin! ---- Flashback Start Cherry Diablo (age 7) sobbed into her hands at the annual Villain Convention. Her dad had told her to make friends, but the children were so cruel! Faybelle Thorn had pulled on her horns, calling her a freak. "I bet you want your mommy, don't you?" The little fairy had taunted her. "Guess what? I heard she left you because she didn't want a baby with horns!" Cherry had ran off, leaving the cackling girl behind. How could a child be so cruel to another villain? Cherry sat in a dark corner of the room, crying her heart out. Obviously, the other kids would be the same! All the kids she had seen had either pointed at her or ran away screaming. All she wanted was to make friends like Daddy said, but how could she if everyone was mean? Suddenly, the melancholy demon felt a kind presence besides her. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you ok?" A sweet voice asked her. Cherry looked up, yellow eyes swimming with unshed tears. Through her blurry vision, she could see a pretty little girl smiling at her. The girl's eyes were a beautiful shade of purple that captivated Cherry. Not only that, but her scent was that of wildflowers that entranced the Diablo girl. The only unsettling thing about the mystery girl was her shadow. It seemed to peer shyly over her shoulder, looking down on Cherry. But, shadows shouldn't be able to do that. At least, that's what Cherry had been made to believe. Had she been wrong? Did her shadow do that without her noticing? Shaking off those thoughts, Cherry decided to answer her. "No, I'm not ok. The children are being mean to me!" She wailed, crying some more. No matter how pretty this girl was, Cherry was still sad and she wanted to cry about it. "Why would they be mean to you? You look fine to me! Are those horns real? They look pretty cool! Oh, desole! I forgot to say my name! I'm Vera. What's your name?" Vera seemed very cheerful and just being around her was lifting Cherry's spirits. A strand of long brown hair fell into her eyes and she moved it away with a brown hand. "They're mean because of my daddy." Cherry confessed. "Everyone's scared of him and I don't know why. And, yes, my horns are real." She giggled as she said this. "I'm Cherry! It's nice to meet you, Vera. You're the first person to ever be nice to me besides Daddy." Vera looked sad to hear this. Even her shadow looked upset at this news. "Really? Well, Atra and I will be your friends from now on, no matter what! Atra's my shadow, by my way." Vera hugged Cherry, wiping away the remainder of her tears. Cherry smiled at this act of kindness and hugged her back. Maybe, kids weren't so mean after all! They began to share secrets, as friends are wont to do. During this period of time, Cherry learned Vera's favorite color (purple), what Atra meant in Latin (black when used in context with mors, which meant death), and her father's first name (Louis). Vera learned Cherry's favorite color (red), what she liked to do (read) and even her mother's name (Lilac). "My mommy left when I was 5 to go on a journey. She never came back." Cherry sounded cheerful, but she really missed her mommy. Losing her had been tough on her and Daddy. "I bet she's trying to get back to you guys. No mommy would ever leave their child for that long on purpose." Vera assured her new best friend. "Your mommy is just lost, that's all!" Atra nodded, agreeing with her mistress' logic. Cherry smiled, this time for real. "You always say just the right thing! You're so pretty, Vera." Vera's cheeks turned pink, though it was real hard to tell because of the shade of her skin. "When we get older, I'm going to marry you!" Cherry declared, determined. When she promised something, she did it, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Vera blushed harder now. "But, girls can't get married!" Vera tried to justify not marrying her, but she didn't really see a reason not to when they were older. Vera had always liked girls more than boys. Boys were icky and immature, but girls were prettier and funnier. Cherry was the cutest girl she had ever seen with blueish-black hair that was styled into unruly short spikes. Her little horns poked out of her messy hair and it just added to her cuteness! Finally, her yellow eyes were mysterious and lovely. Vera liked everything about Cherry, from her looks to her personality. The only problem was that girls couldn't get married. "Who says so?" Cherry was now upset. Why couldn't girls get married to each other? Boys could marry girls, so why couldn't girls marry girls? It made no sense! "Queen Snow White says so. She says only boys and girls can marry each other. Boys can't marry boys and girls can't marry girls." Vera explained, frowning. One time, she had asked Daddy if she could marry a girl one day. Her dad had scowled and told her that the Queen would never allow it because she hated the idea of homosexuality. Vera didn't understand the word, but he explained that she thought that girls could only marry boys and boys could only marry girls. Cherry looked furious. "Then, she's a dummy! Girls can marry girls in Atlantis. Boys marry boys in the Underworld. The UFK is stupid! Let's get married in Wonderland if she doesn't allow it!" Vera smiled at this and nodded. "Ok, I will, but only when we graduate high school. I don't want to be married until after then. Then, we'll marry in Wonderland!" Cherry kissed her sloppily on her cheek. Then, Vera grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's meet my daddy!" Atra followed the two children as they ran over to Dr. Facilier. She found it to be insulting that she was the shadow spirit of such a little kid, but Vera did have potential. She decided to wait until Vera had more skill before judging her. After all, she was only 7! Vera would be able to summon armies of spirits later on in her life. "Daddy, meet Cherry, my new friend!" Vera interrupted her father, who was trying to chat up Cruella De Vil. "Excuse me, my dear." He told the villainess, kissing her gloved hand tenderly before attending to his little girl. "What is it, Vera love? I was trying to talk to Miss De Vil. Don't you want a new mommy?" Louis was pretty exasperated, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No, I don't like Cruella. She smells like dead puppies!" Vera snapped angrily. Cherry looked at her with concern. She didn't know that Vera was even capable of anger. "Anyway, Daddy, this is Cherry Diablo, my new friend! Can she come over to our house tomorrow?" Vera smiled, anger forgotten. Louis' eyes flashed angrily for a second because of the Cruella part. However, he did look over the other girl. "Wait, did you say Diablo?" He blanched, suddenly afraid. "Oh no, you're not allowed to be friends with this devil spawn!" He roared, grabbing Vera's arm roughly and yanking her away from her friend. Cherry felt hurt by his insult. Hadn't Vera said her daddy was nice? "But, Daddy!" Vera wailed in outrage, looking scandalized. "Cherry is really nice!" She yanked her arm away from his vice-like grip, running back to her friend's side. Grabbing Cherry's hand for reassurance, she glared at her father. "Love, SHE HAS HORNS! She's deluding you for her own purposes! She probably wants to sell your soul to the Devil! You know who her father is, how could you become friends with the daughter of such a vile creature?" Louis growled, furious at his daughter' slack of judgement. He fumed at the thought that this wouldn't have happened if he had just married a normal woman, rather than a spirit. "Her horns are pretty!" Vera retorted. "And, she's way nicer than YOU!" Her father paled as he felt a sudden chill. Because of her anger, everyone's shadow was mutating. Her own shadow was already growing, looming menacingly over the two children. However, the spirit's hungry expression was focused on him, not the little girl. Cherry's shadow was turning into a huge, terrifying female version of Cherry's father. She was trembling with rage, fire coating the hand that Vera didn't hold. "I do not LIKE you! You're... you're a dummy like Queen Snow White!" She screamed. The name Snow White called the attention of several of the villains, who began looking over at the confrontation. Cherry's father looked over with concern, moving closer. Louis Facilier knew the girl was about to attack him. Not knowing how the fire would affect him, he rashly blasted her with an orb of darkness. "NO!" Cherry's father roared as she was flung into the air, slamming into a wall. Some of the villains (namely, Mother Gothel and Lady Tremaine) winced at the sound of shattering bones as the little girl landed in a crumpled heap on the floor. All of the villains fixed him with hot glares promising violent vengeance on the girl's behalf. He had no right hurting an innocent child! Cruella marched up to him and slapped him violently, leaving a crimson mark. "We're through, you abusive asshole! What on earth is wrong with you, hurting a child? You'll be hearing from my lawyer!" She snarled stomping away. She had done her part and was happy to watch the fireworks result from his actions. After all, she had a son, and if he treated a little girl like this, how would he interact with her little Leonardo? Vera was in shock. Her daddy had suddenly become a villain in her eyes. He was now pure evil and she would never ever trust him again. "Cherry..." She murmured, eyes filling with tears. She let out an anguished scream before turning on her father. "DIE!" Vera Facilier screamed, pulsating with dark energy. All the light was extinguished and darkness reigned. She blasted him with pure darkness before everyone collapsed, possibly from her using their shadows to power her massive attack. Only Cherry's father had enough power left to do one last thing before he fainted. He summoned a few of his demonic servants to take care of his daughter. "Please, heal her." He commanded before everything went black. When Cherry came to, she was strapped onto a table, a harsh light burning her eyes. "Ah, so the little princess has awoken from her slumber." A raspy voice said mockingly. Cherry was aware of a sharp, throbbing pain in her head. "My head hurts." She forced out, feeling ever-so tired. The light continued to make her headache worse, irritating her. "Too bad." The voice snapped. Instantly, Cherry felt a whip slash her thigh. "Ow!" She screamed, tears welling in her eyes. Why would someone whip her? Her dad would never allow it! "Please, stop it! It hurts!" She begged, pleading her captors to stop hurting her. "No, we want to hear you scream!" Another voice growled, laughing meanly. A dagger stabbed her, black blood running down her arm. She pressed her lips together, determined not to scream again. "We said SCREAM!" A third voice roared angrily. They began to lash her violently with the whip until a small cry was drawn from her lips. There was so much pain flooding her nervous system that Cherry's mind shattered, leaving behind a twisted version of the child that had been there a second ago. The trauma was simply too much for such a young girl to handle. Her eyes closed as a smile began to grow on her face. Her tormentors backed away as she began to laugh, trembling with the force of it. In one jerking motion, her supposedly 'unbreakable' bonds snapped. Her yellow eyes snapped open and she beamed at the three demons. "Thanks for all the fun, but I do believe your time is up!" Cherry giggled before launching at the one closest to her. After the deed was done, she licked her lips, savoring the coppery taste of the blood that stained her lips. "Mmm.. Thanks for the meal!" She chortled, waving her hand lazily at the desiccated corpses behind her. Cherry Diablo strode out with a new purpose. After all, the time was right. The hunt was on. Flashback End ---- Flashback Start Vera Louise Facilier sat in the darkness, cold and alone. Her father had decided to lock her in the dungeon for seven days, following the disaster of the Villain Convention. Because of her attack, all the villains had been weakened. Her attack had drawn on their strength because of her using their shadows to help power the assault. Vera's father had been furious because of her betrayal in his eyes. So, he locked her away in his secret dungeon until he found a way to deal with her. Her only comfort was Atra, who provided her some companionship and knowledge during that dreadful time. While her father didn't feed her, Atra stole some food for Vera from the local shops. No one could figure out the culprit, because the food simply was there one second and gone the next. All the shop owners were baffled, but they would never learn the truth. During her time in the dungeon, Vera was not bored. Atra began teaching her how to control her magic and how to direct magical energy into spells. According to the shadow, the spell she had used against her father was one called Pure Darkness, an extremely dangerous spell that was more likely to kill everyone around Vera than actually work. "Good thing you had strong souls to work with." Atra noted coldly, unfeeling. "What does Pure Darkness do?" Vera asked, scared. Was she going to die because of the spell? Vera was also worried about Cherry, not knowing if she had survived. Where was the little demon now? Vera hoped that she was ok. She wished on invisible stars that shone clearly in the sky. She missed them, locked away in her prison as she was. Atra smiled frigidly. "I'm glad you asked, young pupil." She replied, basking in her pride about knowing things the little girl didn't. The shadow didn't seem to realize how cold and lonely Vera was. She didn't understand the feelings of mortals, of creatures made of flesh and bone. All Atra knew were wild things, ephemeral things, rules that were never questioned, boundaries never crossed. All shadows knew the coldness of Mother Nature, her unfeeling gaze and her uncaring expression. For you see, the hardest truth anyone must learn was that they were insignificant in the grand scheme of things. "Pure Darkness is a beam of primal instinct, using darkness from the souls around you, manifested by shadows. If used on a dark soul like your father, they will be plagued by spirits. However, these spirits are only there to cause insanity and discord. Your father is doomed to die. The spirits will force him down unsafe and unwise paths and will only allow him to consider the worst of futures. His days are numbered. The question remains if he will let you out before the spirits spell his doom." Atra rambled. She was prone to such manners of speech. It was simply on principle. Vera scrunched up her nose. "That doesn't make any sense at all!" She protested angrily. "The only thing I understood was that spirits will make him die!" Atra fixed her white eyes on the little girl. Suddenly, Vera felt truly afraid of her own shadow. "Hush, you are a '''foolish little girl'. So, shut up and just listen to me. I know far more than you ever will and I am the one who makes sure you're alive. So, don't show your stupidity and actually try to comprehend the forces you control." Atra snarled angrily, furious at Vera's slight to her ego. The arrogant shadow tended to act like she ruled the world and Vera simply couldn't stand up to her.'' Right at that moment, there was a sharp bang on the iron door that blocked Vera from freedom. "Who on earth are you talking to, you little brat? Are you seriously getting the willies after two days? I mean, honestly! You are such a weak little girl. It was so hard being nice to you all these years. But now, both of us can show our true colors, can't we?" Vera could almost hear his sneer through the barrier. "No wonder your mother left you!" At this, Vera snapped. "SHUT UP!" She screamed. In an instance, the door exploded, leaving behind an empty doorframe, a shocked Dr. Facilier and a furious Vera. Atra had no comment on the event. Seizing the chance to escape, Vera sprinted out from the prison, ignoring the skeletons and rats that were now visible in the light. She darted under his outstretched arms and ran for the entrance to the house. Escape! Vera felt exhilarated and thrilled. She was almost there! And then she stopped. Vera felt so cold, so very cold. Her shadow was gone, inexplicably. She could see her father, holding up Atra and shaking her roughly. "Speak, you pathetic wraith, you unimportant specter! Speak!" Atra could not utter a world. She had always been connected to Vera. Severing that bond left her unable to function. For the first time, Atra felt the cold. Dr. Facilier smiled. The next 5 days passed quickly. Atra continued stealing food, but she made sure to get the succulent portions and scared off the greedy rats. She also moved the skeletons away, which helped Vera immensely. The Facilier girl had started to have nightmares. Atra also kept on teaching magic to Vera, who was an attentive, if not argumentative pupil. They had melded more easily, once Dr. Facilier (he no longer deserved the title of Father) had reconnected them. Vera understood magic in it's wild and uncontrolled state more easily. Atra knew more about human emotion than ever before. They could easily skirt around issues that troubled them both. Vera never complained about the difficulties she had doing spells. Atra never teased Vera about her mother or Cherry. Mothers were too sacred to joke about and Cherry was... special. At least, that's what Vera thought. Atra didn't see it herself. Finally, the long and cold week ended. Dr. Facilier woke Vera up with a sharp kick to her ribs. While she didn't scream like he wanted, she did groan and it was obvious that she had felt some pain. Vera didn't beg him to not kick her. She merely glared at her with her probing violet eyes and he relented warily. He did pull sharply on her hair however, which won him a sharp intake of breath. "Well, brat! I have finally learned how to control your blasted magic. You'll never be able to cast a spell again!" He cackled wickedly. Grabbing an amulet (like the one he used against the Frog Prince), he let the artifact bite Atra on the finger. Instead of blood filling the dark object, a purple fluid (magic!) filled it instead. Dr. Facilier's smile grew larger. Gesturing with his hand, a shadowy creature appeared. The beast-like entity stalked toward the trembling girl. Savagely, it slashed her with it's jagged claws. Vera screamed, the claws leaving gashed along her arms. She knew subconsciously that she would have lasting scars from the injury. Blood dripped down her arms. Whimpering, she held still as the beast lapped up blood from her left arm. Methodically, Dr. Facilier collected blood from the right arm. The beast vanished, leaving behind angry red scars on her left arm and dripping wounds on her right. Using the collected blood, Dr. Facilier drew a rune on the back of the amulet, chanting spells over it. "I curse thee, Vera Facilier, to have thy immense power blocked. I curse thee to only have the power of a weak toddler forever! Unless you can find and kiss your true love on the night of a full moon, you will never have access to your power again!" The curse was done. The only thing to do now was to put the amulet on her. He easily put it on her, not deterred by her wails and tears. At that moment, a depressed frown settled on Vera's face. She knew villains never found true love. So, she knew her magic had been lost forever. Tears streamed down her face as she sank to the floor. Atra could not comfort her this time, for she was also in tears. The callous bokor left the girls there, sobbing. It was time to kill his Nemesis and have his Happily Never After! The spirits had assured him the plan wouldn't fail and Dr. Facilier always trusted his friends on the other side. As he walked away into the night, Vera lifted her head, purple eyes swimming with tears. "I hate you!" She bellowed with anguish before sinking to the cold floor. He didn't even reply, darting into the cool twilight air. She would never see him again. Alive, that is. Flashback End ---- Flashback Start Many Years Ago... "Come on, Vivian! Wake up!" Vincenzo Jacquard shook his younger twin sister awake. She blinked groggily, stretching languidly. "Are we going to the forest today?" She asked sleepily, smiling at him. "Yes!" He laughed. "It snowed, so it'll look even more beautiful, so get dressed." Grinning widely, she got out of bed and shoved him out of her room. "I'll be out in a second!" She called before closing the door. Changing out of her nightgown, Vivian vaguely considered her image. She liked the look of her lavender ribbon against her skin. Her mother had always said that it 'became' her, whatever that meant. She was only seven after all. Vivian didn't know much about the world and what her brother didn't know, she made up. Carefully running down the stairs (Vivian didn't want to break her foot), Vivian hugged her mother Marie and her father Jean. "Hi, Mom and Dad! I'm going to play in the forest, ok?" Vivian told them, smiling sweetly. "Ok, just be back before dark." Her mother laughed, tweaking her nose. "And, stay with your brother, alright?" "Ok!" The children said in unison before running out the door, laughing. There was a chill in the air. For a second, Vivian wished she had longer hair so that she could make a scarf out of her strawberry-blonde hair. "How far is the snow?" She asked, shivering slightly. Vince grinned at the question. "Don't worry, it's not too far. See how it's getting colder? The snow is nearby." Vivian wasn't particularly worried about the cold, but it simply felt weird to her. Then, the twins stumbled upon the snow. Her eyes sparkled with joy. "Wow!" She gasped, kneeling down to inspect the white powder. "What causes snow?" She pondered, looking at Vince inquisitively. "I dunno." He replied, shrugging. "What do you think causes it?" He asked, wondering what she would think of. Vivian was silent for a time, fiddling with her ribbon. She stood there, just breathing and thinking. To Vince, it seemed like she had fallen into a trance of sorts. Before he could think of what to do, she answered him. "It's a message from the gods." Her voice sounded inhuman, almost angelic when Vivian said this. "What do you mean by that? How could a message from the gods be so cold and wet?" Vince was confused as he picked up some snow. It began to melt in his palm, but it chilled his hand. "I don't know!" She cried out, looking distraught. "It just is! Don't you believe me?" She looked at him, tears welling in her grey eyes. "Please don't cry, Vivian." Her brother begged. "Snow is definitely a message from the gods. Let's go home, I'm hungry." She nodded, wiping away her tears. They promptly forgot the conversation and ran home. They got home before nightfall, which was extremely lucky of them. Marie ushered them inside before locking the door six times over. Jean had already lit the lanterns, for the lights went out as soon as the sun set. "Mom, the monsters won't come in, right?" Vivian asked, clutching at her mom's skirt. "Of course not! Now, sit down at the table and eat your supper." Marie reassured her daughter before shooing her away. Marie always liked to watch the door, so that no one would be tempted to unlock it. As Vince and Vivian ate their dinner, the sun set and the lights went out. They weren't bothered by this, but stopped eating anyway. A eerie howl could be heard outside, signaling the beginning of nighttime. Vivian hated the sounds the monsters made as they attempted to get inside the houses. There was a horrible scream that was all too human and Vivian closed her eyes as she heard the Messenger, Ree, get dragged off into the night. "No!" Ree wailed. "NO!" Vivian knew what had happened. Ree had a dangerous job, delivering messages to the people of Nevermore Village. This job left her out late, doing her job. Usually, the last person she delivered mail to would take her into their home. This time, that had not happened for some reason. Vivian knew without a doubt that the Council would elect a new Messenger tomorrow, but hearing Ree haunted her. Suddenly, there was a frantic knock on the door. "Let me in, let me in! They're right behind me!" The voice sounded garbled with panic, but Vivian knew that the voice was that of Cassandra, a girl from school. "No." Marie snapped coldly. "You're a monster, not little Cassie." The voice became demonic. "Let me in, or I'll curse you to die from a painful sickness!" The monster roared, determined to get inside the house. Marie began tracing runes on the wood, humming. "BEGONE!" She declared, tracing the last rune. The runes glowed and the demon was launched away from the house. "I curse you, Marie Jacquard to DIE from pestilence! May your last days be full of agony and strife!" Time passed. To everyone's surprise, Cassandra had been elected Messenger and proved to be better at it than Ree. No one did a funeral for her, which left Ree's family in a state of permanent mourning. Marie began to get gradually sick as time passed. At first, it was just a cold. However, it soon left her bed-ridden and delirious. Vivian cried for a whole night when Marie no longer remembered who Vivian was. Jean grew more irritable, blaming the monsters and Marie's ribbon for what had happened. He began taking out his frustrations on the children. Eventually, he didn't come home and was devoured partially by the monsters. They cruelly left his head in front of the Jacquard house. Vince told Vivian not to tell their mother. She would likely give up on life right then and there. One night, as Marie's children clutched her frail hands, her eyes snapped open. They were wide and alert for the first time since she got sick. She smiled wearily at them. "It is finished." She whispered softly before dying with her eyes open and a smile on her face. Vivian cried. Since they were now orphans, the Jacquard twins were sent to live with the Pierre family. To Vivian's surprise, this was Cassandra's family. Dr. Pierre studied the monsters that plagued Nevermore Village and the DNA samples they left behind. He was an eccentric and busy man who never had the time to simply have a conversation with his family. Apparently, he was writing a book and did not want to be disturbed. Mrs. Pierre was actually a very lazy woman who refused to clean her house. Happy that she finally had someone around who could do all the chores (since Cassandra spent her whole day delivering mail), Vivian was made to work all day, making sure the house was perfect. Vivian loathed Mrs. Pierre. Cassandra was only around for dinner and school, so Vivian really had no idea what she was like. Vivian had tried socializing with her at night, but Cassandra was pretty snooty and ignored her. Vivian felt extremely isolated and wished she had a friend. Vincenzo usually was there for her, but Vince had started sneaking off every morning to go places. Vivian had no clue where he went or who he interacted with. Frankly, she feared for his safety and hoped he was alright. One day, the poor girl finished her chores early. "Mrs. Pierre, may I go out today? I finished all my chores!" Vivian pleaded, groveling before the woman. Mrs. Pierre appraised her, then nodded. Honestly, the woman was sick of seeing what she perceived to be an ugly peasant. "Thank you!" Vivian exclaimed and ran off before Mrs. Pierre could protest. Vivian escaped into the forest, feeling happy for the first time in months. The Pierre home was oppressive and Vivian was glad to escape from the suffocating atmosphere. She relaxed as her strides took her deeper into the woods. The very sound of nature calmed her mind and released tension she wasn't even aware of! As she walked, she began to remember her mother, who she hadn't thought about in a while. She shed a few tears for the woman, but let it go right away. The time for grief had already passed and Vivian had already cried her tears. She felt at peace, knowing her mother was in a better place. All of a sudden, Vivian heard voices. Her eyes grew large as she heard Vince's voice. Hearing the emotional torment in his tone, she felt both anger and intrigue as she moved closer towards the source of his voice. There, in a small woodland clearing, was her brother who was with a guy she didn't know. Her brother had tears streaming down his face while the other one looked pissed. "What the hex?!" He yelled, screaming in Vince's face. "What do you mean, we're through? Are you deluded?" Vince looked scared and Vivian couldn't blame him. That guy looked abusive, so she picked up a fairly large rock and held it in her palm, hoping that she wouldn't need to do anything. "I... I can't do this anymore, Carter." Vince sobbed. "My sister has been wondering where I've gone and they treat her terribly at home. If you saw the bruises on her face..." Vivian winced, remembering Mrs. Pierre assaulting her for not cleaning the house properly. "As if I care an ounce about your sister! She probably deserves every beating, and more! Besides-" At this, Vivian couldn't take it anymore. She did not know who Carter was, but she was not going to take his verbal abuse of herself and her brother any longer! Screaming in rage, she charge Carter, swinging her rock around violently. He was so surprised that he didn't react in time and was knocked to the floor, head bleeding. "I'm going to get you for that!" He spat with vitriol. Vivian and Vincenzo backed away from his prone form. Clasping hands, they fled, leaving the cursing boy behind. As they ran, Vivian glared at her brother. "What on earth was that, you fool?" She growled, angry for the first time at her brother. Vince simply looked hopelessly back at her, knowing that he had spelled their doom. For, you see, Nevermore Village was extremely prejudiced when it came to anyone who didn't follow the boy/girl girl/boy philosophy. Anyone who was attracted to their own sex was executed and any supporters of homosexuality were killed as well. Vivian had nearly cried when she witnessed her first (and thankfully last) execution. Two girls had been made to kiss while people connected them together with blades. People jeered at the panic in their eyes as they slowly died, exchanging an act of love and pain. One of the girls began to hyperventilate as her girlfriend died while kissing her, tears streaming down her face. Mercifully, one of the men stabbed her in the head, ending her suffering. It had driven the point home: that life was harsh and that people were mean and cruel. Vivian felt so sorry for the girls, especially since she knew in her heart that she liked her own gender as well. She was sickened by the murder she had witnessed and vowed to never let anyone she knew suffer the same fate. But, now both she and Vince were going to die. Carter had likely spun a tale of Vince kidnapping him and forcefully stealing kisses before Carter resisted. Then, Vivian would sprint in, bashing him on the head and knocking him out. The Jacquard twins would become the villains and Carter would be remembered as a poor victim. The next few days were tense. Every action they did seemed to be judged and there was a hush over the village. When Vivian asked what was going on one day in the market, a woman whispered that there was meant to be an arrest and execution in the following days. That was when Vivian knew her days were numbered. That night, the monsters claimed more souls than ever before. The town was in an uproar and they wanted blood. Vince whispered to Vivian that they should run, but Vivian dissuaded him from it. "Which is better, dying at the claws of a beast or being killed at the hands of the mob? At least, the mob will be gentler and won't eat you." Tearful, the two siblings hugged, concerned that this would be the last time they saw each other. The next morning, the police came. Vivian was held in a cell by herself, constantly watched by perverted guards. She had no privacy, being forced to change and use the bathroom while they examined her, satisfying their lust by looks alone. She felt extremely violated and wished she could just disappear, but she knew that wasn't an option. She had been questioned about her involvement in the 'brutal attack on Carter Quill'. Vivian had poured forth an emotional confession, pleading for justice. The interrogator called her a liar and forcefully dragged her back to her cell, screaming demeaning words at her as they went. She knew she was dead, but the truth was still painful. Vivian stayed in the cell for a unknown amount of time. All she remembered were the states and the crude comments tossed at her. She did her best to ignore them, knowing that her situation was hardly permanent, but they still found subtle ways to bother her. Finally, one of the guards unlocked her door. "You've been found guilty of supporting and aiding a homosexual. You've been sentenced to death by hanging, lucky you!" Shrugging at this, she simply nodded, hoping to finally get this over with. A few minutes later, Vivian walked out onto a platform, aware that the entire village was watching. She could see Carter, smirking at her, sitting proudly in the front row. Cassandra was holding his hand, clad in an alluring red dress. Vivian felt a wave of rage at seeing the two together, realizing that her poor loving brother had been cheated on. Then, her heart stopped. Her brother was watching her. She stared at him, horrified. His eyes were filled with tears as he looked at her mournfully. "I'm so sorry." He whispered, but she couldn't hear anything. Those sick people were forcing her brother to watch her die. He probably wasn't even going to be executed that day! But, Vivian did nothing. What could she do when her death was so close? The prison guards shoved her towards where she was meant to be hanged. She climbed up a ladder to a smaller platform suspended in the air, the men following her. Vivian knew that they would wrap the noose around her neck and push her off, killing her. It wasn't the death she had imagined, but it was certainly less gruesome than most. "Any last words?" One of the villagers shouted, jeering at her. Vivian fixed her stormy gaze upon him and coldly whispered "Yes". "Speak up!" One of the guards roared, striking her on the cheek. She glared at him with such hostility that he backed up, suddenly afraid. "Oh, just shut up!" Vivian snarled, overcome by an unusual wave of rage. "You are all bloody cowards and you know it, don't you? For the love of Aesop, grow a spine! I never did anything but protect my brother from an abusive little boy and you're killing me. You're nothing more than sick, COWARDLY murderers who are delighted by hanging little girls. You should be ashamed of yourself! You all are rotten souls and I hope you all perish at the hands of the monsters." And with that, she tied the rope around her neck and jumped. Flashback End ---- Flashback Start Marissa Jones spun away from the attack gracefully, regaining her balance. Spinning her axe, she charged her foe, sparks flying as their blades crashed. Staggering backwards from the force of her opponent's blows, her eyes widened as he seemed to sense his triumph, moving in for the kill. Ducking to the side, she popped up, slashing his throat. "Good job!" The undead pirate wheezed, throwing his saber to the ground. "You've improved!" She blushed at his praise, bowing to him. "It is an honor working with you, sir." Nodding to show he accepted her respectful gesture, he ruffled her hair and strode away, whistling. He certainly wasn't fazed by the gash in his throat. Marissa's father, Davy Jones, appraised her with a cold air. He didn't seem to be impressed by her skills, but she never really expected him to be. He had extremely high expectations and it seemed like no one but himself could fill them properly. "You had many openings presented to you during the fight, so it should not have dragged on for that long. You shall be grounded for the infraction." He sneered at her before turning away, ignoring her. Saddened by her dad's disapproval, Marissa ran off to her room, eyes welling with tears. Leaping onto her bed, she sobbed her eyes out, not knowing why he acted that way towards her. She was a young girl and couldn't be expected to quickly take down large brutish pirates, right? Was she really as pathetic as her father claimed? For what seemed like hours, Marissa ensured her pillow was drenched in her salty tears before wiping her eyes, her resolve hardened. If her dad viewed her as weak, she would prove herself to be better than any challenger! After all, she was good with an axe for a reason and it certainly wasn't to cut down trees! ''- A Few Weeks Later... -'' Marissa was fighting a woman with ease. Every opening was taken as Marissa's fists were like blurs, striking everything they touched. With a swift motion, the woman had been judo-flipped onto the floor and the victory went to her. "... Good job, Marissa." The woman quitely told her before walking away, rubbing her bruised flesh. Davy Jones looked her over before nodding. "You... have impressed me." He forced out, like the words were choking him. "Because of your improvements, I have decided to take you with me to meet my boss. He has an urgent problem and needs you to help him." Marissa was floored. She had never been asked to HELP someone before! "M-me?" She asked, eyes wide with shock. "Yes, you!" Her father barked, furious. "Now, get ready or so help me, I'll sell your soul to Cthulhu!" Nodding quickly, she scurried away, fearing for her life. A few minutes later, Marissa came down the stairs, dressed in a pretty light blue dress. Her hair had been brushed to look neater and she thought she looked presentable enough to meet Lord Death himself. Her father gave a snort of disgust at her attire, but gave a reluctant nod anyway. Roughly grabbing her arm and squeezing too hard for comfort, they disappeared in a swirl of bubbles, teleporting from their underwater home to the Underworld. Blue flooded her vision for a few moments before there was nothing but darkness. Marissa squinted to try and see, but the world suddenly snapped back into focus, revealing the Underworld. Now, Marissa Jones lived under the sea in a castle called Davy Jones' Locker. She had lived her whole life there, being lulled to sleep by the sounds of torment. She had always thought that absolutely nothing could frighten or awe her. However, the Underworld simply stole her breath away. In her eyes, it was a beautiful place. Every surface gleamed. Jewels embedded in the smooth rock shined brightly, despite the dim light from ornate torches. Everything was cast in a spooky gloom, yet Marissa found it to be mysterious and utterly enchanting. She was enraptured at first glance. Rolling his eyes, Davy Jones dragged her away from the gorgeous site to her silent protests, pulling her roughly down hallways until they reached a forbidding black door. It seemed like light was actually drawn into the door. "Ladies first." Davy sneered, gesturing grandly with his hands. Nodding silently, Marissa slowly opened the door and stepped forward, walking into the unknown, unaware of how much her life was about to change. Flashback End ---- I'm never letting you Narrate again. Oh, so you think you're the only good Narrator around here?! That you're somehow worthy?! Because, you're not and you never will be! Guys, quit it! We're friends, not foes. Remember...? You rush your endings, leave ambiguous hints around, never clear up the important things, and completely ignored your notes! If that isn't bad Narrating- Can we just agree to all be crazy and move on? We still have a lot more words to write. I would like to get some lunch today, too! Alright, I'm sorry, Brooke. Will you be okay with just Narrating memories? That's ok with me! Let the games begin! ---- Ever After High... A school founded to help educate future fairy tales so that they could fulfill their destiny... Ever After High was nestled away in a small area of Arcadia. While it did not have a name and didn't belong to any region, it was still a nice place to have a school. With lush forests filled to the brim with creatures of every shape and size and a castle humming with magic, any student would feel at ease with the school's environment, continuing to calmly follow tradition. At least, until it was time for Raven Queen's Legacy Year. That was when everything changed. However, this story does not begin with Raven, nor does it start on Legacy Day. Rather, this story begins mostly like it should: with a bang. ---- "Oh my Grimm, I'm so excited!" Cherry Diablo cheered, pumping her fists in the air. She was hextremely pleased at being allowed to stay in a school with lots of weak and juicy victims to devour. However, she did know that eating people was against the rules, so she knew that her special brand of hunting would have to wait a while. Giggling at the thought of killing an animal, she collapsed on the floor, clutching her sides as she cackled. The thud resulting from this alerted the secretary, who rushed up to the room to find out what was wrong. Because Cherry had arrived the night before school started, she had been given a private room for the night. While she was disappointed that she couldn't have her own room, she had been assured that there were benefits from having a roommate. At that moment, the secretary poked her head in, lips pursed with concern. "Are you alright?" She rasped out before realizing that Cherry was just having another spastic fit of laughter. Rolling her eyes, she strode away, muttering about insolence in children. After a time of painful breathing, Cherry got back up, her smile firmly in place. She was always happy, but she really wasn't sure why. While Cherry somehow knew she was searching for something or someone to complete her, she didn't understand her own desire to find a companion that well. Her happiness seemed to be unnatural, but she didn't let it bother her. Almost right away, the moment of reflection floated away and she lost her memory of the incident. Cherry gathered her things together, humming. Examining a hand mirror, she looked at herself and silently applauded herself. For a girl who lived most of her life in the worlds, her midnight black hair, naturally streaked with extremely dark blue strands was unusually neat. These colors mixed together to make a blue-ish black hair color that Cherry adored. She also liked her eyes. They were a beastly yellow that seemed to scream "I mean business!" After studying her face briefly and baring her fangs to check their sharpness, she placed the mirror down and packed away the rest of her things, putting the mirror away last. It was something from her mother, so Cherry cherished it, even though reflections unnerved her. You never knew who was going to be staring back... Humming, she picked up her bag and gave the room one last forlorn look before trudging down the stairs, beaming. Her life was just about to begin! Category:Fanfiction Category:Original Character Fanfiction